


As Always

by PaperxPens



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Memory Loss, One Shot, Slice of Life, Varigo - Freeform, donella accidentally adopted a bunch of kids, flangst, give me soft donella and hugo moments, they are a FOUND FAMILY, this is post 7k events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaperxPens/pseuds/PaperxPens
Summary: Hugo visits an aging Donella whos starting to have trouble decerning the truth from memories
Relationships: Cyrus & Donella (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Donella & Hugo (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Donella & Ulla (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Donella & Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Donella/Ulla (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Hugo & Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20





	As Always

**Author's Note:**

> //This was based off an idea from Discord. I can't write summaries so just- ngh this is my attempt at fluff.

It had been over two decades since he had met Varian, over twenty years since his life had changed for the better. Well, he hoped that he could say with confidence that their lives had changed for the better. So much had changed over that time, one of which being a thick green band of “Hugorium” sitting on his ring finger. An element named after him, could his husband get any more adorable? But there were other changes, changes in people he thought could never change, could never falter.

Donella was older now, and although she was still the woman who used to stand so tall and fierce in his eyes, even Hugo could tell that she was weakening. Of course, his mother was still as stubborn and headstrong and intelligent as the day he had met her, that much hadn’t and will never change. She was his mentor, and it seemed like every time he spoke to her through letters or vocally she had something new to teach him. Whether it was instructing him linguistically for his wedding vows, or assisting him in decoding another ancient language found within the Eternal Library, Donella never once failed to present herself as a beacon of knowledge. He only hoped he could learn it all in time.

Even so, things were changing. Hugo had always remembered joking with her that when she was old and weak and frail she’d be forced to accept his help and care. To which the woman would snort and roll her eyes, though Hugo was able to catch that small glimmer in her gaze. He had gotten better at reading Donella thanks to Varian, or perhaps Donella was becoming more open and allowing him glimpses into her thoughts. Either way, the first time she had laughed at one of his quips, it was like he was seeing her for the first time. Now, she was old and weak and frail, and Hugo hadn’t realized that along with taking care of the woman his heart would ache for her. Not that he didn’t love her all the same, he just wished her body wouldn’t give up on her mind. Donella hadn’t given up, and luckily Cyrus was still available to assist her when Hugo wasn’t. She had told the blond that the day she stopped working would be the day it actually killed her, and Hugo believed that.

Occasionally there would be different happenstances. Ones that made his blood curl in ways he had never experienced. This was different from how she’d occasionally stumble over nothing, or how Donella’s already shaky hands seemed to have trouble holding onto her tools, or even how her eyes were always squinting in an attempt to read. Donella refused glasses, said they made her feel actually old. Though that didn’t stop her from snatching his own pair off of his face when she needed to look over something, that was the woman he adored. But sometimes, it was like there was a skip in her mind, a moment where an old and damaged record would scratch and struggle to turn. And those moments were the ones Hugo feared deeply. Because in those moments it was like he was seeing a side of Donella he thought was lost, repressed, and a side that he knew she’d never want him to see. So he acted like he didn’t. Donella had taught him how to act a long time ago, how to pretend.

His half gloved hands rapped on the door to the Lab. Varian suggested a long time ago to take Donella into the Eternal Library so that they could care for her together, and while it was a sweet sentiment Hugo knew that she would hate every second of it. There was a moment in one of her letters, an answer to the question Hugo didn’t think would be acknowledged. That’s what Donella did, she pretended like uncomfortable questions weren’t written, and Hugo was alright with that. But this time, she answered. ‘You know what D,’ Hugo had been trying out different nicknames for his mentor since Don and Donnie were especially off the table. ‘Why don’t you ever come and visit us long term? We could get a lot more done with our expert on anything directly in front of us’. He had phrased it in a joking way, something his husband was quick to call him out on. ‘Why don’t you just ask her?’ Varian had stated with exasperation, to which Hugo responded that he and Donella… they just spoke like that. Or at least that was how he spoke to her, and she could interpret his words accordingly. She was good at reading others. And the response? Well it nearly cracked Hugo’s full heart. ‘I’m very well aware that it’s the practical solution to our letters, and perhaps if you had asked me this decades ago when I was a little younger and a little freer I would have agreed wholeheartedly. But returning to the Library for that amount of time is something I fear will break me. It nearly destroyed me the last time when I had no heart to hurt, but now I fear the damage will be beyond my repair. I’m afraid, Hugo. I look forward to your letters and your visits, don’t get it into your mind that I don’t. I’m just not strong enough, as per usual. And don’t call me D next time.” Donella was always so eloquent when she wrote, that’s why Hugo asked her to help write his wedding vows. Her words on the page acted like the ones she’d never speak out loud, seems like it was easier to express with the pen than the tongue. That moment was a marker of how much closer he was to her, and how much it hurt him to know what she was feeling. And while over the years things had slowly improved and Donella did stay for about a week at a time upon request, well Hugo just knew having her live there permanently would drudge up old memories. 

Memories, they were the current issue. The door was unlocked, and that’s when Hugo knew. Donella never left the door unlocked unless…

“Ulla?” A voice called out, her voice, when Hugo pushed open the squeaky hinges. Donella always kept the door a little under-oiled to notify her of intruders. Hugo always found it odd that an engineer couldn’t come up with a better security system, but eventually learned that sometimes there was a value in simplicity. Or at least that’s what Varian and Quirin had taught him. Farmers, gotta love them.

Stepping inside the dim lab was like stepping back into his childhood. Everything exactly where it always was, including his mother who was sitting in her chair at her desk. Hugo cleared his throat and when those green eyes looked over at him, he saw them fade slightly with confusion. Now the question was, how much was she forgetting? Was she looking at him wondering who this man was, or why this man wasn’t a boy anymore?

“Hugo? What are you doing here? Where’s Ulla?” He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. The times where she forgot him completely were the most painful. To the point where he’d wake up in a cold sweat at the thought, and Varian would have to make him a cup of tea, Donella’s favorite, to get him back to sleep. They still couldn’t believe that worked as Donella seemed to drink the most caffeinated beverages possible. Hugo used to joke that was why she was always so shaky.

“I just came over to visit,” He replied casually and waltzed in, shutting the door behind him. At any time other than this Donella would have been able to pick out his faltering step and forced a smile in a heartbeat, but this Donella just hummed in response and went back to her writing. From over her shoulder Hugo picked out the blueprint for one of Yong’s inventions, with his mentor’s handwriting on it. Still as brilliant as always.

“But where’s Ulla run off to?” She asked again in a softer voice when Hugo put his hands on the woman’s shoulders. It must have been a jittery day, her braid was messier than usual. He knew how much his mother valued looking put together. Taking her hands, they were cold like always, Hugo pulled her up and supported her a little more than he would have liked as she walked with him to a more comfortable sitting chair in the corner. Varian had made it for her as a gift, Hugo still smiled at the craftsmanship. 

“Oh you know her,” He replied and widened his smile as he helped her sit to the side and pulled up his own chair, “She’s out in the market.” It was a lie, a blatant lie. But Hugo didn’t have the heart to tell Donella the truth, he didn’t have the heart to break hers once again. As she said, she didn’t think she could survive another heartbreak. Maybe it was selfish, but Hugo never thought of himself as perfect.

The woman closed her eyes and simply nodded as Hugo got comfortable and carefully took out the hair ties holding her braid together. Growing up, he’d watch as Donella effortlessly pulled her hair back into its neat and proper style, so much so that he was able to do it himself when she was unable to. Setting the elastic aside, he brushed out her gray locks that seemed to be getting paler. “She shouldn’t be going out alone, she’ll get lost you know.” Donella muttered and smiled softly, her eyes glazed over and Hugo could see her remembering a different time, a happier time. There was a subtle warmth in her voice as she spoke, and this was the side of Donella she swore to lock away. “Too impulsive for her own good, that girl.”

“I know. You take such good care of her, Mom.” He replied softly and set the brush aside, his fingers pulling her hair back behind her ears as he started to secure the elastics in place. It appeared that she had used different ones that day, presents from Nuru in the Air Kingdom with tiny silver stars that glittered in the light. Donella chuckled and her shoulders shook with the movement. For a second Hugo felt fear that she was crying. It occurred to him how little he’d ever seen her laugh, but how could she when she knew? How could her shoulders shake with joy when they carried the weight of her past?

“She takes better care of me.” She mused and Hugo simply nodded in agreement. Yeah, maybe she did. Maybe the Ulla that Donella knew did take care of her, the Ulla that Donella remembered at least. At least she had the memories.

Usually when Donella asked something like this Hugo told her what she wanted to hear. What would be easier on her heart because, well it had been broken too many times by Ulla, and by himself. Finishing the style, Hugo stood and grabbed a handheld mirror for her. It was silver but had the Coronan Sun engraved into the back, a gift from Queen Rapunzel. Varian had told her about how Donella preferred silver, so thoughtful. Of course this was after she started to get over her aversion to reflective surfaces. Holding it up, Donella squinted slightly at her reflection and turned her head to see her braid. “You did this?”

Her hand reached up and brushed over the raised texture on her cheek as she pushed some stray hairs behind her ear. 

Hugo nodded, walking over and setting the mirror in her lap. He kept his hand near in case her own were too shaky. “Yeah, I had a pretty good teacher.” He replied and leaned closer to the woman who scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Obviously not that good, or you weren’t the best student.” Her hands gently patted some parts of the style back into shape. “I’ll have to show you again after I’ve had my coffee.” Hugo just smiled and shook his head at her. 

“You got it, Boss.” He replied and stood to pull out her coffee machine. Quietly, he heard her speak.  
“Ulla would make the best coffee.” Would. Hugo nodded and glanced over his shoulder to be greeted with the same sad green eyes he had seen growing up. 

“I’m sure she would.” Donella was always so strong and so stubborn, just like in his memories, that part would never change. And as far as Hugo was concerned that was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> // I said found family rights. Villains that become the weird family member (Donella) are everything to me


End file.
